The intellectual life by Antonin Sertillanges
Published 1946 · 266 pages · 72,285 words · about 5 hours at an average pace
How hard is The intellectual life to read?
The intellectual life scores 47 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it moderately challenging. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.
- Vocabulary: 68 out of 100
- Sertillanges employs a literary vocabulary, including terms like 'immanent,' 'acrimonious,' and 'epigrammatic,' which, while not obscure, require a degree of familiarity with philosophical and theological discourse. The text doesn't reach the density of specialized jargon found in *Moby-Dick*, but it surpasses the accessibility of *The Great Gatsby* in its vocabulary demands.
- Sentence structure: 62 out of 100
- The sentences in *The Intellectual Life* are generally long and involved, featuring multiple clauses and a formal tone. While not as extreme as the Proustian sentences in *In Search of Lost Time*, they demand more attention than the direct, declarative style of *1984*. The text uses subordination to express complex relationships between ideas.
- Abstraction: 78 out of 100
- The book delves into abstract concepts such as the nature of vocation, the relationship between truth and goodness, and the role of the intellectual in society. While not as purely abstract as *The Waste Land*, it engages in philosophical discussions reminiscent of *Brothers Karamazov*, focusing on the theoretical underpinnings of intellectual work rather than concrete narratives.
- Information density: 70 out of 100
- Each page presents numerous concepts related to intellectual life, requiring careful attention from the reader. The book covers a wide range of topics, from the organization of time to the cultivation of virtues, packing a significant amount of information into each chapter, similar to *2666*.
- Narrative indirection: 40 out of 100
- The book is primarily a direct exposition of ideas, with minimal narrative elements. Sertillanges states his points explicitly, leaving little room for inference on the reader's part. This contrasts sharply with works like *Pedro Paramo*, where the reader must actively assemble meaning from fragmented narratives.
- Symbolic density: 55 out of 100
- While the book contains some symbolic elements, such as the 'wine-cellar' representing the dwelling-place of truth, it does not rely heavily on symbolism. The symbols are generally straightforward and serve to illustrate the author's points rather than to create layers of hidden meaning. This contrasts with the pervasive symbolism of *Moby-Dick*.
- Ironic distance: 25 out of 100
- The text is largely sincere and earnest, with little to no ironic distance between the author's stated beliefs and his actual intentions. Sertillanges presents his ideas directly, without employing satire or irony. This contrasts with the ironic framing found in works like *The Great Gatsby*.
- Resolution withholding: 30 out of 100
- The book offers clear and direct advice, aiming to provide practical guidance for intellectual life. It resolves its central questions by offering concrete suggestions and principles, leaving little ambiguity for the reader. This contrasts with the open endings and unresolved mysteries found in works like *2666*.
- Structural complexity: 35 out of 100
- The book follows a straightforward, linear structure, progressing logically from one topic to the next. It lacks timeline jumps, POV shifts, or other formal experiments. This contrasts with the fragmented chronology and multiple timelines found in works like *Midnight's Children*.
How The intellectual life is regarded
The intellectual life holds a literary regard score of 52 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.